All We Are
by junealii
Summary: Tie in to 'The Parenting Playbook'. Jack has a secret that could change his relationship with Mia forever.  Once Mia learns the truth, how will it affect their friendship? And how will Dave react when he learns the news?


**Originally, I had planned for this to just be another chapter in 'The Parenting Playbook', but it turned out to be much bigger than I thought it was going to. This is the first glimpse(of many) into the ever changing relationship of Jack Hotchner and Mia Rossi. **

**I have to give a special thanks to my amazing, wonderful, awesome beta because this Rossi/Hotchner merger was her idea and for her insistent nagging which eventually got me to write this.**

**Sadly, I still don't own Criminal Minds. **

* * *

><p><em>There he stood in the brightly lit white and blue hallways of George Washington General, his father clutching his hand tightly in his much larger one as he stood outside Miss Emily's hospital room. Jack, being only three, is barely able to recall what Miss Emily had told him about babies during her 9 months of pregnancy. Whatever he was thinking about quickly vanished when Uncle Dave emerged from the room and invited the boy and his father into the room. Not quite grasping the situation completely, Jack ran over to Emily's side.<em>

"_Miss Em'ly? Are you okay?" Jack asked as he took in all of the scary machines and noticed the horrible noises that they made. _

"_Of course, baby. I'm fine."_

"_Is the baby okay?" Jack asked as he glanced up at his father noticing the huge smile on his face as greeted Emily and softly kissed her cheek. _

"_She's fine. Would you like to meet her?" Emily asked as she shifted the baby in her arms before making room for Jack on the bed._

"_Can I daddy?" Jack asked, glancing up at his father before he nodded and hoisted him up onto the bed next to Emily. _

_Smiling as Dave came and wrapped his arms around her, Emily shifted the baby towards Jack's gaze. "Jack", Emily started as she watched the little boy sit up on his knees, "this is Mia."_

xxxxxxxxx

That was over 16 years ago, and Jack would never be able to forget the first time that Emily had introduced him to her daughter. Over the years, even though there was a slight age difference, Jack and Mia had become the best of friends. Now 18 years old, Jackson Hotchner couldn't believe what a beautiful girl that Mia had grown up to be.

'_Jack', _he thought_, 'if Uncle Dave finds out about your crush on his daughter, you are SO dead.'_

Jack couldn't actually remember the exact moment when he noticed Mia as something more than just a friend, but he did know that he couldn't leave for college in the fall without her knowing how he felt.

So he waited, and waited. He wanted to tell Mia when the time was right, but to Jack it never was. _'Maybe on her birthday,'_ he thought, but that had already passed and now he only had a month left before he had to leave for college.

xxxxxxxx

Swinging back and forth, Mia just sat silently and watched as Jack paced back and forth across the porch in front of where she sat. Jack paced to ease his mind; he thought that it would help him keep his thoughts in order. Jack didn't even register that Mia was calling his name, until she laid her hand on his arm.

"Jack, why are you acting so weird?" Mia asked, her voice soft.

"Mia….I…Uh..We…Oh crap, I'm sorry." Jack mutter as he ran his hands over his face, effectively shaded his eyes from Mia's gaze. Jack groaned softly as ever single line of his speech that he had memorized had now vanished. Peering through his fingers, Jack saw that Mia now stood directly in front of him with her hands resting gently on his arms. Mia's touch however gentle it was, felt like fire.

"Jack, you've always been able to talk to me about anything. Why is this any different?"

"Because this could change everything, and I don't want to screw things up between us."

"Jack, just tell me."

"Mia, you don't understand, how this could change ever, and I don't want either of us to get hurt. I don't know what I would do…" Jack started before Mia cut him off shouting.

"Just spit it out." Mia shouted, a little louder and harsher than she meant to.

"I love you," Jack said quickly, so quickly it sounded like a giant jumbled mess.

"What?" Mia asked, taking a step towards him.

"I love you," Jack said, much slower this time. Looking down at the girl standing in front of him, he grabbed her small hand in his own as the shock faded off her face.

"You do?" Mia whispered. Jack smiled down at her and nodded his head softly. The pair stood in silence as they let the moment sink in. Staring down into those big brown eyes, Jack show nothing there but love and decided to go for it, consequences be damned. If Uncle Dave killed him, at least he would die happy.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to kiss me?" Mia said, finishing her statement off with a signature Rossi smirk. Jack smiled down at Mia as he pulled her smaller frame closer to his. Leaning down, Jack pressed his lips softly to Mia's. And the fireworks flew.

The pair was too caught up in the moment to the notice the curtain's shifting as David Rossi stepped away from the window.

xxxxxxxxx

A month had quickly flown by, and in just a few days, he would be leaving for college but there was something he needed to do first. Glancing around the backyard, Jack watched as the team, the various FBI children and some of the neighbors mingled across the Rossi's backyard. Scanning the yard, Jack searched for one person. Once he spotted him near the grill; he knew that it was now or never.

Walking towards him, Jack swallowed hard, trying to find his voice.

"Uncle Dave, can we talk?" Jack asked.

"Sure kiddo," Dave said putting his hand on Jack's shoulder and ushering him over to a spot away from the group. Taking a deep breath, Jack regained his composure before looking up at his Uncle. "What's up Jack?" Dave asked, furrowing his eyebrows as he watched Jack wringing his hands. Jack decided that it would be better to just come out with it than beat around the bush, so closing his eyes to regain his composure, he pictured Mia and smiled.

"I love Mia," Jack said softly.

"What was that son?" Dave asked, punctuating his question with the slight raise of his eyebrows.

"I love Mia. I don't remember when my feelings for her changed, but they did. I know that you don't want to think of your daughter dating, but I would really like to take Mia out on weekends and when I'm not in school."

"Jack, son, you of all people, know my rules for Mia when it comes to dating."

"I know, but I was hoping that you would be willing to make an exception."

"If you hurt her…" Dave started in a stern voice, but was quickly cut off by Jack.

"I don't intend to hurt her, Uncle Dave. I promise. She makes me really happy, and I want to do the same thing for her."

In all of Dave's years as a profiler, he had learnt how to quickly tell when someone was being sincere. And standing here, in front of his best friend's son, who just confessed his love for Dave's daughter, Dave had never heard anything more sincere than what Jack had just told him.

"Jack, I trust you. But break her heart, and no one will be able to protect you from your aunts and your mom. Not even your father. And trust me son, you don't want to mess with those women."

xxxxxxxx

Standing on the Hotchner front porch beside her Uncle Aaron and Aunt JJ, Mia watched as Jack tossed his last duffel bag into his truck before slamming the door and turning back towards the house. As Jack approached the porch, he noticed his mother's tears. "Mom, don't cry," Jack called to her as he climbed the stairs. "I'll be home at the end of the month," he finished as he pulled his mother into a hug.

"Don't get into trouble, Jackson. And please call us if you need anything at all," JJ said as she wiped her tears away as Jack gently kissed her forehead.

"Your mom is right, call us if you need anything or just to let us know how you are doing," Hotch added as he pulled his son into a hug.

"I'll call you when I get settled in. I love you guys," Jack said as his father patted him on the back as his mother kissed his cheek.

"We love you too," JJ sniffled as Hotch wrapped his arms around her.

Turning away from his parents, Jack smiled to Mia and reached for her hand. "Walk with me," he said quietly to her, as he intertwined their hands. Not trusting her voice, just nodded and she walked with Jack towards his truck.

Pulling the driver side door open, Jack frowned as he watched Mia reach up and wipe away a stray tear. "Mia, come on, don't cry," Jack pleaded as he pulled her closer. "I'll talk to you every day, and maybe I will come see you in a couple of weekends." Jack leaned down to look Mia in the eye. With his thumb, he wiped away her tears.

"I don't want you to leave," Mia whispered as she buried her hand into Jack's chest.

"I know, I don't want to leave either," Jack whispered back as he kissed the top of her head.

"I don't want you to get to college and forget about me," she said as she looked up into Jack's eyes.

"Silly girl, how could I do that?" Jack said with chuckle. "I could never forget you."

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Mia," Jack choked out as he pulled her closer for a kiss. Breaking away, he buried his face in her hair. Jack took a deep breath as he felt Mia's tears on his neck.

"Call when you get there. Please," Mia whispered when she finally pulled away.

"As soon as I get there," Jack said as he climbed into the truck.

"Be careful." She leaned in the window to kiss him one more time.

"I will be. Bye Mia."

"Bye Jack." She stepped away from the truck as he pulled out of the driveway. Jack watched in his rear view mirror as Mia ran down to the end of the driveway until he turned out of sight. It was only when Mia disappeared in the mirror did he start to cry.


End file.
